Finger ring



June 15, 1937.

T. P. SHIELDS FINGER RING Filed Sept. 4, 1935 w E H 5 P m w T INVENTOR.

BY m M ATTORNEY;

Patented June 15, 1937 UNHTD STATES tats 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in finger rings and has for its object the offsetting or shaping of the shank of a ring in such a manner that two such rings may be worn on the same finger, adjacent to each other and contacting in the same perpendicular plane even though standard mountings or settings are employed on each ring. A further object is to permit the wearing of such a ring at the base of the finger so that the rin overlies the adjacent webbing between the fingers and thus prevents turning of the ring about the finger in the course of wear. A still further object is to permit the Wearing of a ring so shaped, adjacent to a plain or stone-mounted standard shank, without causing either ring to be displaced from a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the finger.

Other objects will appear more fully in the description which follows.

Heretofore rings have been generally designed to be symmetrical on either side of a plane cut ting through the center of the ring, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the finger, and, since the stone settings or other raised ornamentations exceed the width of the ring band or shank encircling the lower half of the finger, they project outward beyond the width occupied by such ring band and constitute the maximum distance that the ring occupies along the length of the finger. When such an ornamental ring is worn on the same finger with a similar ring, or even with a plain band ring with no enlarged top design or stone setting, the rings do not abut in harmonious contact with each other, but lie in non-parallel planes. This condition not only displays the stones or ring designs at diverging angles but it pinches the flesh of the finger in the course of wear, particularly on the underside of the finger. A ring having a relatively large stone setting may be so far displaced from the normal, perpendicular plane that it actually constitutes an appreciabe reduction in the area of the ring opening as projected on the plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the finger. To the wearer, such a ring feels tight fitting and because of its position on the finger a segment of one edge of the ring around the design or setting and a segment of the shank portion of the opposite edge will press into the flesh of the finger.

Where an effort has been made to have ornamental rings abut in the same plane, it has been by designing a. non-symmetric setting that projects laterally beyond the shank on the one side but not on the other. This treatment of the problem severely limits the designs which may be employed whereas my invention permits the use of every standard symmetrical ornamental design without destroying or altering its 5 symmetry, since only the shank is deformed; the shank of a ring in the jewelry art being known as that part of the ring that encircles the finger and attaches to the setting box at the top of the ring.

Furthermore my invention allows the wearing of a ring nearer the base of the finger because it saddles the finger and connecting tissues or webbing between the adjacent fingers following the contour of the finger at its base. This places the shank within the crease that is formed when the finger is bent with respect to the palm. The advantage of this is apparent when an object such as a golf club, or a tool, or other handled implement is grasped in the hand. This location not only prevents displacing of the ring from its proper position during the course of wear but it has the advantage of permitting gloves to be easily drawn on the hand without it being necessary to include the ring in the finger portion of the glove as the ring will be in a position on the finger behind the finger seams of the glove. Then again, this position at the base of the finger enables the placing of a stone closer to the principal knuclde of the finger if desired by the ring designer.

For wear on the small finger, as for example, a ladys dinner ring, the shank will be shaped to the contour of the base of the finger and although it will saddle webbing only on one side it will keep the huge stone design in alignment parallel with the axis of the finger even when it is flexed.

A finger ring is generally made by combining two pieces, the top and the shank. Using my oifset shank, the conventional circular portion of which lies in the same plane as one edge of the top, facilitates the assembly on a fiat surface of these two pieces.

My improvement is shown in the accompanying drawing which illustrates some of the forms in which my invention may be employed although I do not limit my invention to the particular embodiments shown. The three figures r shown are:

Fig. 1 which is a side elevational View of a ring having unequal offset portions.

Fig. 2 which is a front elevational view of the ring shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 which is a plan View of a shank offset ring as worn at the base of a finger.

Referring to the numbered parts or lines in the three views, each part or line carrying the 5 same identifying number wherever shown, the

various embodiments of my invention as illustrated are as follows:

Fig. 1 shows aring of unequal offset shank segments in side elevation. The unequal ofiset segments 24 place axis 2ll2li of setting 22 parallel to but well back of the axis 2l-2l of the lower portion 23 of the shank, whereas in the ordinary ring they would coincide. This illustration shows a relatively heavy setting, it being apparent that not only may the offsets be proportioned to the finger of the hand but also to the size of the setting in order to permit a conventional ring to be worn adjacent to it without conflicting with the setting.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same ring of Fig. 1 showing the unequally curved segments 24, smoothly joining the upper, setting supporting, band portion with the lower band portion, with axis 2G-2IJ of setting 22 in a true vertical position,

Furthermore, in Fig. 2, the opportunity is taken of showing the appearance of a front elevational view of a ring that follows the contour of the finger. The finger of the human. hand is not truly circular and I have found that not only is it desirable to offset a shank with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the finger, but it adds to the comfort of the wearer if the ring is more closely conformed to the outline of the finger. In Fig. 2 two circular segments 23 and 25 of unequal radii are joined by curved sections 24 but I do not limit myself to this combination, for, depending on the amount of shank offset and other ring element proportions, other curved combinations. may be employed.

Fig. 3 shows how an offset ring at the base of a finger straddles the webbing 25 and 21 between the fingers, the lower portion of the shank 45 28 shown in dotted outline, lying in the crease at the juncture of the finger with the palm of the hand. Setting box 29 is shown lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the finger 30-30. This illustration shows a relatively moderate oil- 50 set, it being entirely feasible to place setting box 29 closer to the knuckle by increasing the offset. Furthermore, webbing 26 lies further from the tip of the finger than webbing 21 and I may compensate for this inequality by deforming the shank more on one side than on the other, but withal, retaining the setting box 29 in a symmetrical location with respect to the longitudinal axis of the finger.

It is apparent that various compound curves of different lengths and degrees of curvature may be employed in offsetting and shaping the shank of a finger ring without departing from the scope of my invention. All of the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting upon my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. As a new article of manufacture a finger ring shaped and deflected from a plane normal to its axis so as to place the shank, when worn at the base of the third finger of the hand, within the crease formed between the finger and the palm of the hand without displacing the ornamentation or top setting from a position symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the finger.

2. In an ornamental, stone or signet finger ring to be worn on the third finger of the hand a shank curved to follow the contour of the finger where it joins the palm of the hand and shaped to overlie the adjacent finger Webbing with two unequal ofisets, the offset of greater deflection adjoining the middle finger.

3. In a finger ring a shank shaped to follow the contour of the finger at its junction with the hand having one segment adapted to lie in the crease formed between the finger and the palm when the finger is fiexed and another segment curved to encircle the back of the finger just ahead of the knuckle, both segments being joined by unequally curved connecting segments.

4. In an ornamental finger ring a shank having one major portion adapted to lie in engagement with the back of the finger in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the finger, joined at its extremities by unequally offset segments to another major shank portion adapted to engage the underside of the finger where it joins the palm of the hand.

THOMAS P. SHIELDS. 

